Carpet-sweeper.



Patented ma 9, 1911.

INVENI'OR n13 nonnls Prrnz: cm. WAamuornu. 0

UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER STOKES, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-SIXTH T0 FREDERICK M. BROWN, ONE-SIXTH TO JOHN R. CRAFT, ALL OF BEAVER FALLS,

WILLIAM L. CRAFT, AND ONE-SIXTH T0 PENNSYLVANIA.

GARPET-SWEEPER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER STOKES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to carpet sweepers and has for its object to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth a sweeper that can be advantageously used for cleaning the floor or surface beneath a bed, desk, table or other structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sweeper that is simple in construction, durable, easy to manipulate, thorough in its cleansing, and free from injury by ordinary use.

With the above and such other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the carpet sweeper, showing the position of the same beneath a bed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the sweeper. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, and Fig. 4 is a plan of a portion of the sweeper upon a smaller scale.

The sweeper comprises a metallic casing having side walls 1 and 2 connected by a top plate 3 that terminates in a front wall 4. Arranged between the side walls 1 and 2 is a pan or tray 5 having side walls 6 of a less height and length than the side walls 1 and 2 of the casing. The pan or tray is arranged at an inclination between the side walls 1 and 2 and the forward edge of the pan or tray is adapted to rest upon the carpet or surface 7 over which the sweeper is moved, and is bent rearwardly at an inclination, as at 8, to form a ledge between the side walls 6 that will partially close the forward end of the tray and prevent matter deposited therein from passing out of the forward end of the tray. The tray is supported at an inclination in the following manner :The side walls 6 are slotted at the forward ends Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911. Serial No. 575,625.

thereof, as at 9, and into these pins 10, carried by the inner sides of the walls 1 and 2. The rear end of the tray is supported by an axle 11 extending through the walls 6, 1 and 2, the outer ends of the axle 11 having revoluble wheels 12. Upon the pan or tray adjacent to the axle 11 is a cleat 13 adapted to prevent the contents of the tray from being accidentally jarred out of the rear end of the tray.

The axle 11 and the rear wheels 12 are adapted to movably support the rear end of the sweeper casing, and the forward end thereof is supported by an axle 14 extending through the walls 1 and 2 and having the outer ends thereof provided with revoluble wheels 15 similar to the wheels 12, these wheels having resilient tires 16 to prevent the carpet or floor from being injured by a movement of said wheels thereon.

The outer sides of the walls 1 and 2 at the forward ends thereof are provided with bearings 17 and journaled in said bearings and extending transversely of the sweeper casing is a shaft 18, upon which is mounted within the casing a brush 19, said shaft and brush constituting a rotary sweeping ele ment adapted when in operation to cleanse the carpet or surface 7 and force the dirt or dust upwardly over the ledge 8 into the pan or tray 5.

Loosely mounted upon the ends of the shaft 18 are the lower ends 20 of a yoke 21., said yoke having a. rearwardly projecting off-set handle bar 22 by which the sweeper is moved over a surface and by which the yoke 21 is supported when moving the sweeper into a small space, for instance bencath a bed. The handle bar 22 adjacent to the upper end thereof is provided with a bracket 23 and journaled in said bracket and the handle bar 22 is a shaft 24 having the outer end thereof provided with a crank or handle 25. Mounted upon the shaft 24 within the bracket 23 is a grooved belt wheel 26 for an endless belt 27, said belt passing over a grooved belt wheel 28 mounted upon the outer end of the shaft 18 at that side of the sweeper casing nearest the off-set handle bar 22. The handle bar 22 is off-set whereby a small bracket 23 can be used in alining the belt wheel 26 with the belt wheel 28.

The side walls 1 and 2 of the casing have the rear ends thereof connected by a lid supslots project port 29 and hinged to the lower edge of this support, as at 30,'is a lid 31 normally retained in a closed position by retractile coiled springs 32 having the ends thereof fastened to the inner side of the lid 31 and to the inner side of the top plate 3. These springs being preferably arranged adjacent to the inner sides of the walls 1 and 2. The lower outer edge of the lid 31 is provided with a knob or handle 33, whereby the lid 31 can be opened, the sweeper casing tilted and the content-s 0f the pan or tray 5 removed from the rear end of the casing.

To operate the sweeper, it is moved over the surface to be cleansed and while moving the same the shaft 2a is revolved to impart a rotary movement to the brush 19, whereby any dirt or dust encountered upon the floor or surface will be swept into the pan or tray. With the rotary brush arranged at the forward end of the sweeper casing, the sweeper casing can be easily moved to a wainscoting or other floor structure and the casing held stationary while the rotary brush 19 is revolved to cleanse the surface beneath the casing. It is therefore apparent that the sweeper can be advantageously used for cleaning the floor or surface beneath a bed, desk, table, or other structure that could not be easily moved.

While in the drawings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements thereof are susceptible to various changes without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, is:

1. A carpet sweeper comprising a portable metallic casing, an inclined tray arranged within and formihg the bottom of the casing capable of being shifted, pin and slot connections between the forward end of the tray and the casing, an axle journaled in the forward end of the casing and projecting from each side thereof, wheels revolubly mounted upon the projecting ends of the axle, an axle journaled in the rear of said casing projecting from the sides of the casing and extending through said tray, said last mentioned axle constituting means for coupling the rear of the tray to the casing, revoluble wheels on the projecting ends of the last mentioned axle, said tray having its forward end positioned at a point removed from the forward end of the casing, a rotatable shaft journaled transversely of the forward end of said casing and rearwardly of the first mentioned axle, a brush fixed to said shaft and extending between the forward end of the tray and the forward end of the casing, a handle bar connected with the casing, and means for rotating said shaft.

2. A carpet sweeper comprising a portable metallic casing, an inclined tray arranged within and forming the bottom of the casing capable of being shifted, pin and slot connections between the forward end of the tray and the casing, an axle journaled in the forward end of the casing and projecting from each side thereof, wheels revolubly mounted upon the projecting ends of-the axle, an axle journaled in the rear of said casing projecting from the sides of the casing and extending through said tray, said last mentioned axle constituting means for coupling the rear of the tray to the casing, revoluble wheels on the projecting ends of the last mentioned axle, said tray having its forward end positioned at a point removed from the forward end of the casing, a rotatable shaft journaled transversely of the forward end of said casing and rearwardly of the first mentioned axle, a brush fixed to said shaft and extending between the forward end of the tray and the said shaft projecting from each side of the casing, a yoke loosely mounted upon the shaft and of such a length as to project heond the rear wall of the casing, a handle bar attached to the yoke, a belt wheel mounted upon said shaft, a belt wheel rotatably supported from said handle bar, means for revolving said last mentioned belt wheel, and a belt connection between the wheels for driving the brush shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J OHN H. STURGEON, EDWA D BURHENN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

forward end of the casing," 

